There is the ancient city of Pohnpei, the unalterable island of Yap, the breath-taking isle of Kosrae, and the famous Chuuk, known for its scuba diving. Wherever you choose to live, you are certain to enjoy a new life in the bashing sun-soaked lifestyle, relaxed atmosphere, and beautiful scenery. To reside here though, you will have to find out if you require a visa.
While citizens of the US, Fiji, Tonga, and some other countries do not need visas for entry, foreigners from other parts of the world require a visa to stay longer than 30 days. Before applying for a visa, you should have adequate knowledge about the visa policy offered by the Micronesian government.
Here is a guide just for you. This will give you insights into the visa types, permanent residency, how to apply to be a citizen, and the requirements needed. To successfully move to the country, you should learn all of those and others like how to live in Micronesia or work in Micronesia.
- Visa Types
- Permanent residency
- How to apply
- Requirements
Visa Types
There are various visa options available, they are explained below.
Tourist Visa
This is the most popular and sought-after visa. Valid for at least 30 days, and issued to foreigners looking to enjoy the numerous attractions in the country, this visa is for a short-term visit. To apply for this, you will have to submit a valid passport, proof of accommodation, or a letter of invitation from a family member or friend willing to host you. If you are applying before traveling, you can submit your application at an embassy in your country of residence. It is important to note that a tourist cannot seek or gain employment with a visa.
Business Visa
This type of visa is issued to ex-pats here for business purposes such as business meetings, trade fairs, expos hosted by foreign companies, investment trading, etc. To obtain this, you must submit a letter of invitation from your host or proof of business dealings with a native company. The visa is valid for at least 60 days and does not grant you the right to work. One vital requirement to note during your application is to submit a passport, which is valid four months after your intended stay.
Work/Employment Visa
This type of visa is offered to a new employee at a company here. Such a person requires a work permit, which can be applied for at the ministry of foreign affairs. It is common for an employer to apply for a work permit for their foreign staff, so all you need is to obtain a work visa before leaving your country.
Permanent Residency
This refers to residing in a foreign country on a long-term permit, which allows such a holder to find work, set up a business, etc. In some countries, this means permanent stay for up to five years or more, but here, a certificate of residency lets ex-pats abide permanently. To become a permanent resident, you must have stayed for a minimum of five years.
How to Apply
Another way to live permanently here is by obtaining citizenship. There are various types of citizenship but only two apply to foreigners such as yourself. They are:
- Citizenship by descent: this applies to you if you are a child born to a citizen/ resident of Micronesia. You do not have to be born in the country for you to qualify.
- Citizenship by naturalization: this applies to persons who are permanent residents in the country. There are several conditions to fulfill for this type of citizenship to be issued.
Dual citizenship is no longer accepted here, so, a citizen by birth who isn’t born to at least one Micronesia parent has to renounce the other citizenship first.
Requirements
For a person to qualify for citizenship or live permanently here, the following conditions must be met:
- must have lived for a minimum of 5 years
- Be a child to a citizen of Micronesia
- Be a Spouse to a citizen of Micronesia
- Be able to live permanently
- Fluent in any local languages
- Have renounced previous citizenship